Youth Baseball Injuries: How to Keep Your Child Safe

Youth Baseball Injuries: How to Prevent, Recover, and Return to Play

with New York Yankees Team Physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad, and Major League Soccer Medical Coordinator, John Gallucci, Jr.

by Steve Silvestro, MD @zendocsteve

If you have kids who play sports, you’ve surely seen the change:

While you may have played soccer in the fall, your kids play in the fall and spring, with summer and winter clinics, too.

Summer swim team? There’s indoor training the rest of the year to keep you fresh for next season.

Basketball, baseball, lacrosse — you name the sport, and what used to be a single season has become a year-round investment. And that’s even on the recreational level, let alone travel teams.

The result is that kids are getting injured at rates well beyond what we were used to seeing.

And perhaps nowhere else is that more apparent than in baseball…

My guests in this episode are Dr. Christopher Ahmad and John Gallucci Jr., MS, ATC, PT, DPT, coauthors of the new book Play Ball: Don’t Let Injuries Sideline You This Season, a top-notch baseball injury prevention, treatment, and recovery guide that should be required reading for all youth baseball coaches, parents, and older players. [Get your own copy here]

Dr. Christopher Ahmad is the Head Team Physician for the New York Yankees, the Rockland Boulders, and the New York City Football Club of Major League Soccer. Additionally, he is a member of the Major League Baseball Team Physicians Association, serves as a consultant for local metropolitan gymnastics and swim teams, and is the official medical provider to FC Westchester Soccer Academy.

John Gallucci Jr., MS, ATC, PT, DPT, the dynamic President and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, is in demand for his expertise in injury prevention, rehabilitation, sports medicine, and athletic conditioning. He has appeared often on radio and television, including ESPN’s award-winning Outside the Lines, MSG Varsity, NJ News 12, and WFAN. He is currently the Medical Coordinator for Major League Soccer, coordination the medical care of 500 professional soccer players.

In short, when it comes to keeping players healthy, these guys know their stuff!

Take a listen to our conversation on youth baseball injuries on your favorite podcast app, or in the player below:

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In This Episode, We Talk About:

Why there’s been an increase in the number & severity of youth baseball injuries
Thoughts on sport specialization vs. playing multiple sports
Pitching injuries
Questions about pitch counts and when to teach kids curveballs
How to create an environment in which your player can feel comfortable about knowing when to stop when hurt
Common non-pitching-related injuries
Basic ways to prevent injury
How to know when your player can start resistance training
Thoughts on the new USA Bats standards and their relationship to safety
and a whole lot more…